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Ink duct – Furnival Platen

One of the most fascinating parts of the Furnival jobbing platen I am in the process (see previous post) of acquiring, is the detachable ink duck that fits to the top of the press:

The ink duct is huge. I’m not exaggerating – it’s about 45cm tall, and the circular main roller is 15cm across. There is a smaller roller, for ink transfer, which is petrified and will need replacing. It’s heavy too, perhaps 50kg.

I’m fascinated by this, not having seen one attached, or in the photos of other Furnival presses I’ve seen. I’ll definitely be doing some sleuthing to find out what and where and how it works.

Also, tantalisingly, there is a sticker on the side of the ink duct. It’s pretty deteriorated, but I could make out ‘BELV ……… ESS’. Is the second word ‘press’? Do the words give any idea of the platen’s history up until this point? These are questions that demand my attention. This is the sticker. Any light anyone could shed would be most gratefully received: